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Clara Valyrie Saint-Auguste
Lady Clara Valyrie Saint-Auguste is a noblewoman of the Kingdom of Stormwind. She hails from House Saint-Auguste of Augustholm and has served twice as its baroness, albeit only briefly the first time before abdicating in favor of her younger sister Rhyana. She served briefly in both Stormwind's House of Nobles as Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce and Stormwind's Armed Forces as a soldier in the First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade; however, she has since retreated back to her barony due to internal strife, where she remains to this day. History On March 24, 594 K.C., a young girl was born in a refugee camp in the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale. The girl’s parents named her Clara for the Light and Valyrie for her ancestor Valyrian. Some would say she grew up to fail both of these callings. Others would say she simply found a different path to achieve them. Barathen Valyrian Saint-Auguste and his wife Ariana were displaced nobles from the Barony of Augustholm, which had been sacked by the Horde only the year before. Of the nearly 20,000 people who lived in Augustholm, less than 8,000 had survived, now scattered in the wilderness. Clara would likely have been conceived after the fall. She spent her earliest years in hidden refugee camps, guarded by remnants of Stormwindian and Augustan military forces. Disease and starvation proved to be greater enemies than the Horde in those days, though Orcish patrols did pick off stragglers. The good grace of the Light, Barathen’s tactical training with the Baronial Guard, or dumb luck alone kept them from meeting their end in an obscure corner of the world. Clara was only five when the Grand Alliance retook her ancestral home. Stormwindian cavalry led by Knight-Lieutenant Allison Whitehouse of Mirwood, Thalassian Farstriders led by Ranger-Captain Alariel Nightfalcon, and local resistance forces led by Sir Marlowe Weard of Shade’s End joined together in a three-pronged attack on the Blackrock outpost at the River Sorrow, overwhelming the isolated Blackrock garrison. Barathen established his seat at the venerable township of Shade’s End with the help of Sir Marlowe, an old friend, from which he oversaw the reconstruction of his barony. In the year 602, construction was completed on half of the Augustholm estate, and Barathen moved his seat – and his family – there. Clara was then eight. By age fourteen, Clara had proven herself more of a tomboy than an aristocrat. Her formal education had been delayed by her early years in the wilderness; instead she had fostered a fascination with the military and militia forces she grew up with. With few marriage prospects, given the family’s struggling fiefdom and empty treasury, Barathen instead used his political connections to squire his daughter to Dame Whitehouse. Clara quickly proved herself an eager and capable student, learning martial skills such as swordsmanship and horseback riding. Her time with Whitehouse also helped with her lacking political skills, as the Dame received guidance from Barathen in this regard. This instruction was delayed somewhat by the onset of the Third War, during which Whitehouse and her young squire saw action in the defense of Stormwind, but under Whitehouse’s guiding hand, Clara grew into a strong, principled young woman. However, Clara’s time with Whitehouse was drawing to an end. After the restoration of the Grand Alliance, Whitehouse grew increasingly disillusioned with Stormwind’s increased investment in the other races of the world. By the time of the Qiraji War in 617, Whitehouse had resigned her commission with the Knights of the Golden Sun, likely due to pressure from the order’s command structure, and sank into an obscure retirement. Her squire, by this point still uncommitted to the Light and with Whitehouse’s reputation on her head, had still not been welcomed into the order in her own right, and so Clara returned home to Augustholm. Disillusioned with what she saw as the Alliance’s rejection, but not sharing Whitehouse’s isolationist views, Clara turned instead to the north and the fallen kingdom of Lordaeron. The Scourge, she perceived, posed the greatest threat to the world, more so than the Horde. And so, by the year 618, she prepared to travel to join the Argent Dawn. Her father’s passing a few months later would delay her departure, but her mind was already made up. She ordered documents drafted to surrender her birthright to her younger sister Rhythmic. It is unknown if these documents were drafted or not. Clara had already left. Clara spent but a few short weeks with the Argent Dawn, primarily doing mundane patrols in the Plaguelands. The reorganization of the order into the Argent Crusade soon saw her deployed to Northrend at the Argent Vanguard as a cavalier. High casualty rates in the early battles of Icecrown would grant her command of her own cavalry squad only a few months into the conflict. She would retain command of this squad until the end of the war. One of the members of this squad was a Night Elf named Astherys Icewhisper, with whom she became close. The Kaldorei introduced her to Elune, and Clara took to the warrior goddess of light immediately. She quickly began to study Darnassian so she could learn the ways of Elune. During the War against the Lich King, Clara primarily saw action in the southern Icecrown Glacier; more experienced forces were deployed deeper into Icecrown, while she was charged with reinforcing the rearguard. It was not until after the fall of the Lich King himself and the departure of many fairweather Crusaders back to their homelands that she was granted additional authority. She was made Knight-Lieutenant of a cavalry brigade attached to the Northwest Company, given the task of securing and policing the Vrykul fanatics of Jotunheim. By 622 this posting had developed into a walled outpost – Fort George, named for the fallen hero of the Argent Dawn – and a year later Clara was granted command of it as a full Knight-Captain. Her cavalry brigade passed into the hands of Knight-Lieutenant Leyliera Dawnsinger, a former Blood Knight of Silvermoon. Clara was more than content to remain with the Argent Crusade. Their justice-oriented, neutral worldview suited her well, and the long hours in Northrend provided her much time to continue her studies of Elune. Years passed in relative quiet. Clara grew increasingly detached from her roots, growing closer to the many disparate races of the Crusade, though never fully managing to find a home within the Crusade itself due to their differences in religious beliefs. She did, however, forge a strong bond with Dawnsinger in particular, who would remain a friend for years to come. It was not until the War with the Legion that Clara would leave Northrend. Highlord Tirion Fordring called the Crusade to arms on the Broken Shore, and the Northwest Company answered that call. The long trek from Icecrown and longer voyage from Northrend might have saved their lives from the opening waves; by the time the Northwest Company arrived, the initial battle was already done. The Northwest Company was soon reorganized to recoup some of the Crusade’s losses at the Shore, and Clara’s position was dissolved. She was placed in charge of a new cavalry unit, in which capacity she led sorties against Legion forces across the Broken Isles. She remained on Azeroth as a defender during the invasion of Argus, providing support for Dusk Lily forces in Suramar. She remained in Suramar until the Shal’dorei pledged their loyalty to the Horde and expelled Crusade forces from the city. Given the newfound hostilities between the Knights of the Ebon Blade and the Crusade, Clara was soon recalled to Northrend to investigate potential connections between the Knights and the Scourge, but news of the Burning of Teldrassil soon reached her. Already somewhat disillusioned from her long years spent in the north as the world turned without her, she resigned her commission with the Crusade and returned home to Stormwind. She swore a new oath of fealty to the King and the Alliance, successfully petitioned the House of Nobles to reclaim her seat as the Baroness of Augustholm, and enlisted in the First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade. Blood War Clara worked tirelessly in the early months of the Blood War to establish herself both as a political force and a loyal soldier of the Crown. Petitioning for and becoming Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce, Clara set to work conducting the first comprehensive census taken of the kingdom taken in generations, a daunting task halted numerous times by her wartime commitments. Within the First Regiment, she quickly was integrated into the infantry. Her first action with the Regiment was quelling the Thorne Rebellion in the Duchy of Westridge, where she sustained a significant jaw injury with the Thorne knight Sir Robert Segarde; the damage was mended with the aid of Archdruid Shandor Ravenwynn, but it proved a dangerous omen for her future as a foot soldier. Soon after her recovery, the Regiment was deployed to the shores of Zandalar, tasked with forging a path to the heart of the Zandalari Empire. Taking part in the disastrous defense of Shatterstone Harbor, Clara was nearly slain by a Forsaken foot soldier, her side rent by a serrated gash in her own armor. Once more the presence of medical and magical personnel saved her from a more lengthy recovery, and she took part in a successful sortie into Nazmir, setting the stage for a full invasion into the swamp. However, it would not be long before a routine patrol went awry, resulting in the capture of herself and the Lords Marshal of both Stormwind and Stromgarde. SI:7's rescue attempt was successful, but the wounds she had sustained in battle and captivity, not to mention disease contracted from the prison camp, effectively rendered her service in the campaign complete. She spent the evacuation of Zandalar on a medical frigate, helping with the wounded. Soon after Zandalar, she received word of the death of her aide Sir Marlowe Weard; soon afterward, attacks by radical secessionists in her territory became more pronounced, and her sister, acting as regent, proved incapable of decisive action. With only a brief word to the Stormwind Army and the House of Nobles, Clara submitted her respective resignations and returned to Augustholm, imposing martial law and taking personal command of the baronial guard alongside long-time comrades Jon Redwing and Allison Whitehouse. This military crackdown only further radicalized rebel elements, many of whom had gathered around a renewed Hierophancy of Heol, and schisms within her own government caused further public disorder. She has only rarely been seen beyond Valyrian's Wall since. Description Before you stands a muscular, broad-shouldered woman, with strong features and the posture of a soldier. No one is going to mistake this woman for anything less than what she is - a knight of the realm. Clara is of average height, though she often seems taller due to her posture, a result of long hours spent in armor. She keeps her dirty blonde hair cut short, revealing a set of three small silver rings in each ear. Those who meet her cool, sharp eyes may feel as if she is sizing them up, as there is an analytical aspect to her gaze. Her irises are pale white and faintly luminiscent in the dark. She has a square face, but with high cheekbones that give her features some degree of elegance. When she speaks, she speaks loudly and curtly, with a faint accent marking her as being from Stormwind's southernmost holdings. Personality Clara will be the first to tell you that she considers herself a warrior first, a noble second. She grew up tomboyish and disinterested in education, preferring to learn to fight (or pretend to fight) alongside the knights and men-at-arms that she grew up around. She finally did complete her education at the insistence of the knight who mentored her. However, some would say that the damage was done. Clara is no genius. Frankly she is of average intelligence, with a bit of an above-average knack for tactical cunning as a result of her education and experience in the field. She is heavy-handed in her view of ethics and honor, having long before dictated for herself a code of conduct from which there is no deviation. She does not force others to adhere to that same code, but she does hold others, particularly those of a similar background as herself, to a high standard. Shortcuts cannot be taken if they compromise one's ethics. However, she is fairly tolerant of differing viewpoints, particularly in terms of religion given her own religious views, and firmly believes in judging someone for their own actions rather than by association. Clara can be stiff at times, particularly if she's been in a formal setting recently. It is fairly obvious to those who know her when she has been in the presence of nobles as compared to the presence of soldiers. She likes the cold, having become acclimated to Northrend's climate. She likes her meat cooked medium. She dislikes the smell of tobacco. Relationships Clara has encountered many people in her life and developed numerous relationships. Attempting to list them all would be a maddening endeavor, so they have been whittled down to those closest to her. OOC Note: This section will be updated as relationships are added and developed. Many of the starting set here are NPCs run by Clara's player or others on the behalf of Clara's player, whose presence here will remain if for no other reason than to give a brief description of their characters. Romantic Clara is asexual but not aromantic, something that others do not widely understand, and as such she has not had many long-term partners. Grilem Silverlight Clara met Grilem Silverlight during a training campaign with the First "Honor" Company of the First Regiment to Stranglethorn Vale in December of 628 K.C. The pair quickly developed a bond, despite the age gap of nearly a decade. However, the relationship proved tumultuous, as differing interests and concerns over their military relationships proved difficult for Clara. She ultimately ended the romance, though the two remain on good terms. Friendly Clara has moved in many different circles in her life, leading her to develop friendships with an eclectic variety of people. First 'Honor' Company Clara has become close (or at least acquainted) with many of her comrades in arms in the First Regiment. Besides Grilem, she considers herself close to Melanie Witherseed, Demritz Sontaur, and Thaddeus Locke, but she knows many others as well. Having been out of the company for some time now, these relationships have grown more distant; however, she still professes care for them and for the company as a whole, and does her utmost to support them with what little she has available to give. Leyliera Dawnsinger Clara's now-former lieutenant in the Argent Crusade's Northwest Company, and the woman Clara would currently call her best friend, is a Sin'dorei paladin by the name of Leyliera Dawnsinger. Dawnsinger, a career military officer, often handled the day-to-day operations of their post at Fort George while Clara became acclimated to her position. Leyliera took on the unique role of both mentor and subordinate, and eventually friend to the young human knight-captain. Leyliera is an accomplished blacksmith and a habitual smoker, a pair of interests that have resulted in Clara's blade Moonfire and her dislike of tobacco. Dame Allison Whitehouse Clara's first mentor was a Knight of the Golden Sun, from the knightly order in Westridge. Whitehouse was the first person with whom Clara forged a particularly strong bond, and much of Clara's code of conduct and way of perceiving the world were honed by her time with Whitehouse. However, Whitehouse also helped Clara separate her own beliefs from that of others', as Whitehouse's own political leanings became increasingly isolationist and xenophobic, to the point that her own order encouraged her to retire. Clara still has great respect for Whitehouse as a warrior and a teacher, though she recognizes they will not have the friendship they had in her youth. Familial Clara's relationship with her family has been strained by distance and ideological disconnect. She has yet to make a serious effort to bridge this gap. Barathen Valyrian Saint-Auguste Out of her immediate family, Clara felt the most kinship with her father Barathen. Himself a career soldier, she found in him a role model for what she wanted to be as a baroness. Ironically, this very idolization would lead to a rift between them, as Barathen grew incapable of raising Clara to be a "proper lady." When Clara was a teenager, he helped find her a position as squire to a Knight of the Golden Sun, with special instructions that the knight was to help temper Clara's more rebellious and unladylike pursuits. While the bond between the knight and squire would blossom during this time, the distance soured Clara's relationship with Barathen, with the two only spending brief amounts of time together. When he passed in 618, Clara mourned for an honorable baron, not a beloved father. Ariana Saint-Auguste If Barathen was displeased with Clara's tomboyish attitude, her mother Ariana was incensed. Clara proved uninterested in anything Ariana had to offer, and Clara's bond as a child with Barathen shoved a wedge in Ariana's own relationship with her husband, which quickly soured on its own. Ariana never managed to see eye-to-eye with her daughter, despite numerous similarities between the two women: both women with strong military interests in a man's world, feeling they belonged to another home than Augustholm. The two have not spoken in many years, with the exception of occasional official correspondence, largely handled through Marlowe Weard. Rhyana "Rhythmic" Saint-Auguste Clara is over a decade older than her little sister, and in Clara's mind, the difference shows. Whereas Clara was raised in exile, on the run from the Horde, Rhyana was born in the newly reconstructed Augustholm estate, with the costs of the barony buffered with funds from the Alliance. As such, while Clara developed interests in swordplay and military pursuits, Rhyana developed what Clara saw as frivolous interests, such as music and ballet. Clara does not believe her little sister has a true grasp of what it means to be a noblewoman, and instead sees her as self-absorbed and decadent. Like with Ariana, Clara has not spoken in person with Rhyana in many years, not since her sister was barely a teenager, save through official correspondence. Notable Items Clara has slowly acquired a few items of value, either to herself or to the world at large. Ellorsith The Saint-Auguste family blade, dating back prior to the Arathorian Conquest. Forged of Augustan steel and blessed in the old ways by the Hierophants of Heol, this dark longsword is an evil, eldritch weapon. A strip of crimson metal runs down its spine, emblazoned with runes in the ancient Agusti tongue describing its dark purpose and empowering the blade to carry it out. Its name is an Arathorian corruption of the Agusti word "Ellorsíþ", meaning "journey" - specifically the journey from life to death. It has been passed from Auguste to Saint-Auguste for generations beyond measure, the secrets of its design lost now to the ages. Moonfire Moonfire is an odd blade. Forged at the behest of Clara's friend Leyliera, this cavalier's arming sword was forged by Thalassian steelsmiths to fit a human hand and yet bear a Darnassian feel. It was designed to bear the blessing of the Moon, bestowed by a moon priestess friendly to the Argent Crusade. Clara bears this blade proudly, as a symbol of her own martial prowess and faith. Asteleon Asteleon is a he, not an it. This ebony courser was originally a gift from her father when she began squiring under the knight Dame Allison Whitehouse. He was little more than a colt at the time. Now he is an aged horse, rapidly approaching his final years, but he still doggedly carries his mistress into battle when the need arises. When the time comes, losing him will break her heart. She has recently stopped riding him, though she keeps him around her estate and often takes personal care of him. Tyrinade's Honour This is a powerful destrier trained for war, a replacement for the aging Asteleon. Named for the San'layn commandant of a prisoner-of-war camp in which Clara was once imprisoned, she considers this odd name a reminder that sometimes one finds more honour among enemies than friends. Still young and in his prime, Tyrinade's Honour - often just called Tyrinade by his rider - is an impulsive, headstrong horse. Alliance Military Service Clara is new to Alliance service, though she served with the Argent Crusade since 619 K.C. and previously squired with a Knight of the Golden Sun in Stormwind's service. Awards None Yet Awarded Citations Unofficial Citations Gallery ClaraValyrieSaintAuguste.jpg| Unknown, circa 628 K.C. MoonDragonCrest.png| The Moon Dragon - Personal Sigil ClaraBaronessCondensed.jpg| Official Portrait, January 429 K.C. (bearcub) TattooParlorCommission.png| Saint and the Squad, December 628 K.C. (Iji) Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Stormwindian Category:House of Saint-Auguste Category:The First Regiment